Train-stopping apparatus.



M. E. THOMAS.

TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.17, 1913.

1,1 1?, 107. Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Ml? Thomas.

utter/nu M.-E. THOMAS.

TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.17, 1913.

1 1 1 "Z, 1 ()7, Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

2 SHBETSSHEET 2.

ME Thamas.

UNITED. STATES PATENT canton.

MARTIN E. THOMAS, OF CASSADAYQ KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T0 BAILEY P. BELK, ONE-FOURTH TOLIDA HAYS, AND ONE-FOURTH TOW. R. FRAN.

GIS AND WILLIAM PAYNE, ALL OF BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY.

" TRAIN-STOPPING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN E. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States ofAmeri'ca, residing at Cassaday, in the county of Warren and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Train- Stopping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in train-stopping apparatus and has particular application to an automatic train stop.

In carrying out the present invention, 1t is my purpose to provide an apparatus of the class described which will be found especially useful in conjunction with the block signal systems now in use upon railroads and whereby the propelling power of a train or car as the case may be will be automatically I cut off and the brakes applied in the event whereby a signalman or operator in charge of a block may bring the train or trains within such block to a stop automatically so as to eliminate a collision between two trains within the same block.

It is also my purpose to provlde a tram stopping apparatus which will embrace the desired features of simplicity, efficiency and durability, one which may be installed and maintained at a minimum expense and one which will operate effectively under all weather conditions.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a top plan view of a trackway showing the arrangement of the track obstacles. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the trackway showing the control of the obstacles; Fig. 3'is a diagrammatic side elevation of the car carriedstopping mechanism. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the motor controlling the throttle valve, the connections between such motor and valve being shown in elevation. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the op- 0 eration of the lever controlling the car carried stopping mechanism. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a railway crossing showing a modified form of the invention. 7

Referring now to the' accompanying 5 drawings in detail, 1, 1 designate parallel Specification of Letters Patent.

of the car passing a danger signal and.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914:-

Application filed September 17, 1913. ,Serial No. 790,292.

lines of rails forming the trackway, such rails being divided into blocks in any suitable manner. each block is a suitable form of signal 2. In the. present instance, the signals 2 are manually controlled and for this purpose stations are arranged along the trackway at the adjoining ends of the blocks.

Arranged within each block are obstacles 3 disposed adjacent to the tread side of one line of rails of the block and spaced apart suitable distances longitudinally thereof,

any desired number of obstacles being 10- cated in each block. In the present instance, each obstacle comprises arms 4, 4 arranged longitudinally of the adjacent line of rails and coextensive with each other and having the confronting ends thereof pivotally connected together as at 5 and the outer 'ends thereof slidably mounted within bear- Controlling the entrance to' ings 6, 6 secured to the ties of the trackway and capable of swinging movement. I Arranged below the confronting ends of the arms 4, 4 of each obstacle is a pair of magnets 7 7 and suitably spaced apart and receiving the opposite limbs of a substan-- tially U-shaped armature 8, such armature having the interconnecting portion thereof fastened to the lower end of a rod 9 depend ing from the inner ends of the adjacent arms 4:. By means of thisconstruction, it will be seen that when the magnets 7 7 are energized the armature 8 will be elevated whereby the inner ends of the arms 4, 4 will be moved upwardly so that the arms will incline downwardly from the meeting ends thereof. The magnets 7, 7 of the obstacles within each block are connected in series in an electric circuit 10 including a suitable source of electrical energy as a battery 11 and aswitch 12, the switch 12 being within the control of the operator in the adjacent station so that such operator by manipulating the'switch may close the circuit 10 and so causethe-energization of the magnets'l, 7" whereby all of the obstacles within the particular block will' be thrown toactive position simultaneously.

l3 designates the brake pipe or train line air pipe of the car or train, while 14 indicates a valve located in such pipe andnormally closed and provided with an outwardly projecting,horizontal handle 15.. In the present instance, I have shown my improved train stopping apparatus as iiistalled upon a steam railroad and in this case a fluid motor comprising a cylinder 16 and a piston 17 capable of sliding movement within such cylinder is disposed within the engine cab in proximity to the lever of the throttle valve. Connected to the piston 17 is a piston rod 18 extending outwardly of one end of the cylinder 16 and having tastened thereto one end of a chain 19 trained over a guide sheave 20 carried by the end oi: the boiler within the engine cab, the free end of the chain 19 being connected to one limb of a bell crank lever 21 pivoted upon the throttle lever and having the opposite limb thereoi secured to the locking dog of the throttle lever. Connecting one end of the cylinder 16 with the main air reservoir 22 of the, air brake system is a conduit 23 having a portion thereof arranged below and in parallelism with the train line air pipe at the valve 141 therein and connected in such portion of the conduit is a valve 24 normally closed and provided with an outwardly projecting horizontal handle 25,

26 indicates a vertical lever arranged adjacent to and to one side of the valve handles 15 and 25 and pivoted adjacent to its lower end as at 2'? to a suitable support depend ing from the bottom of the car, the lower end of the lever 26 terminating in a plane above the normal plane of the track obstacles so that as long as such obstacles are inactive the lever 26 will remain immovable.

It will be noted that the valve 2 1 in the conduit 23 is disposed nearer the lever 26 than the valve 11- in the brake pipe so that in the initial swingin movement of the lever 26 the valve will be opened while in the continued movement of the lever the valve 14: will be opened. By means of this arrangement of the valves the motor controlling the throttle lever will. be operated previous to the reduction of the air pressure in the brake pipe.

In operation, assuming a train or car to be approaching an active obstacle, it will. be seen that as soon as the lower end of the lever 26 rides upon the inclined surface of the obstacle, such lever will be swung about the pivot 53/4" whereby the valve handle 95 will be operated to open the valve 2 1 and so admitair from the main air reservoir to the cylinder 16 thereby sliding the piston 17 within such cylinder. In the initial movement of the piston 17 the bell crank lever 21 is swung about its pivot and the throttle valve lever unlocked, while in the subsequent movement of the piston, the throttle valve lever is swung to valve closing position. Immediately succeeding the opening of the valve 2stthe upper end of the lever 26 engages the handle 15 of the valve 14- and so opens the latter with the effect to place the train line air pipe in communication with the atmosphere and thereby reduce the air pressure in such pipe whereby the brakes are applied.

It will be seen that I have provided an automatic train stopping apparatus which is entirely under the control of the signalman or despatcher and whereby a train or trains within the block under the control of a particular operator may be brought to a standstill at any time.

In order that the car or train will be automatically brought to a standstill when approaching a grade crossing in the event of the engineer neglecting to bring the train to a stop as is usually required by the regulations of the road, I employ fixed stops S, one of such stops being located at each approach to the crossing and spaced a suitable distance from such crossing and disposed in the path of movement of the lower end of the vertical lever 26. By means of this construction, it will be seen that a car or train approaching the crossing will be brought to a stop automatically in the event of the engineer neglecting to cut down the speed of the train as is usually required.

I claim:

1. In train stopping apparatus, car carried stopping mechanism comprising a brake pipe, a valve in said pipe and normally closed, a fluid motor for cutting oil the propelling power of the car, a source of fluid supply for said motor, a valve con trolling communication between said motor and source and normally closed, means adapted for swinging movement and disposed adjacent to said valve and designed to open said last valve in the initial movement thereof and subsequently open said first valve, and means for swinging said lever.

9 1n train stopping apparatus, car carried stopping mechanism comprising a fluid motor for cutting off the propelling power of the car, a source of fluid supply for said motor, a. brake pipe, a lever adapted for swinging movement, a valve controlling communieation between said motor and source and disposed. adjacent to said lover, a valve in said brake pipe and normally closed and spaced fromsaid lever, and means for swinging said lever whereby said first valve will be opened in the initial movement of the lever and said last valve subsequently" opened. 7

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN E. THOMAS.

'Witnesses E, EDMoNsroN, Jr., JOHN J. MoCAnrHY.

homes f t Pat n may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of latents,

Washington, D; G. 

